Raspberry-misu.

I’m really excited to share this recipe with you. Tiramisu purists, avert your eyes. I made this recipe to be a sort of raspberry tiramisu, so the mascarpone cream is the same I use when making my classic tiramisu. Savoiardi biscuits are soaked in the juice from raspberries, a little raspberry cordial and an optional shot or two of sherry or prosecco or vermouth or moscato or whatever you like. I made this with my niece and nephew in mind, coffee and liqueur not preferable for their palettes yet (both under 4 years old). Freeze dried raspberry powder is sprinkled on the top layer of mascarpone cream and creates a gorgeous red carpet of raspberry tang on top.

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated

80g caster sugar 

250ml mascarpone 

300ml thickened cream

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla paste or contents of 1 scraped vanilla bean 

1/2 pack Savoiardi biscuits (approx 200g)

200g frozen or fresh raspberries tossed in 1 tablespoon sugar 

80ml raspberry cordial (diluted with equal parts cordial and water to make a total of 160ml liquid)

40ml Sweet sherry, prosecco or vermouth (optional)

2-4 teaspoons freeze dried raspberry powder

Method.

Toss sugar through raspberries and set aside. You will use the berries in the layers and the juice they omit to soak the savoiardi in later.

In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment fitted, whisk egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until very pale and fluffy.

Add mascarpone and continue to whisk until it is smooth and creamy. Depending on your mascarpone this may take a little longer. Some are a bit lumpier, if yours is like this consider adding it one large spoonful at a time. Then add thickened cream and whip until thick and smooth. 

If you have another mixer bowl, swap into machine and whisk egg whites to soft peaks. If you don't, add the mascarpone mixture to a separate bowl and wash and dry the mixer bowl to whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Be really careful not to over mix your egg whites. They turn fast and will add a lumpy texture to your cream if over beaten.

Add egg whites to mascarpone mixture and fold together gently until well combined. 

Mix the 80ml raspberry cordial with 80ml water in a shallow flat dish and combine with sherry (if using) and any juice drained from your raspberries. 

Choose your dish, I generally just use a 24cm cake tin but you could use a glass trifle dish or a mixing bowl or a deep baking dish, whatever suits you.

Now to assemble.

Take a savoirardi and dunk it into your cordial mix, I find four quick dunks is the right amount. In, flip, flip, flip, out. Then into the bottom of your chosen dish, repeating until you’ve covered the base of the dish. Top with a half of the mascarpone cream and then all of the sugared raspberries. Repeat the savoiardi layer and then the last of the cream and smooth out the top.

Add a couple of spoonfuls of freeze dried raspberry powder to a sieve and dust a layer of the powder over the top of the cream, covering all of the white. 

Place dish in the fridge and leave for 8-24 hours. It will be fine after 8, it will be pretty good after 12, it will be best after 24, but I know time constraints are a real thing, so do what you’ve got to do.